Guide
by God of Fisticuffs
Summary: When Tarble dies his guide in Otherworld is someone unexpected.


When Tarble had been told by King Yemma that there'd be someone familiar to guide him through the afterlife this was not what he'd been expecting. The person he'd most been expecting was his father of course, King Vegeta. Perhaps his older brother, Prince Vegeta, given that he'd died at any point. That was something that Tarble didn't know. It was saddening to him that it had been so long since he'd seen his brother. Though he never knew her, his mother would have been more likely.

"So, you're Tarble? Huh, didn't expect you to be even _shorter_ than Vegeta." The tall warrior snorted in the direction of him. He shuffled back a few inches, intimidated by the man. Judging by his armor it was obvious he was a Saiyan warrior, but not one that he knew.

"U-um, yes. I am Tarble. Who exactly are you?" He asked timidly. The taller man glared down at him for a few more unnerving seconds.

"Name's Raditz." Raditz answered, "What's got ya so fucking scared?" Raditz asked eyeing Tarble's defensive stance.

"I-Well I, I uh, sorry." Tarble mumbled, straightening his posture, "Then Raditz, why have you been sent to guide me? No offense but I expected someone like my father or brother." Tarble stated. He began to ease up once he realized Raditz's pissed off expression was probably just how he usually looked.

"Your father is still leading other Saiyans off to fight Frieza and his clan down in Hell and Prince Fuckhead isn't dead yet." Raditz stated matter of factly. It wasn't very surprising to him that his father had ended up in hell but he smiled at hearing that his brother was still alive.

"Well then what about my mother?" Tarble asked. He had never known his mother and his father had never spoken of her before he had sent Tarble away. Raditz merely shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know anything about her. I know what I know about Vegeta and the king from my own knowledge. All that Yemma told me was that you were going to be here and I was to guide you." Raditz explained. Tarble frowned.

"Why exactly were _you_ sent to guide me then?" The short Saiyan asked.

"I'd given it a few guesses while I was standing around. I suppose it may be because our families are closer now." Raditz said. Tarble raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well it's a bit of a long story, I'll try to make it short." Raditz sighed running a hand through his mane of hair, "My younger brother, Kakarot, was sent to the planet Earth as a child. The fool hit his head and somehow became pure hearted and instead of killing the inhabitants of the planet, he _protected_ them." Raditz rolled his eyes and scowled at this, "I show up years later threaten his planet and his son and a _Namekian_ killed me. Vegeta and Nappa show up a year later, they get their asses handed to them, Nappa dies yada yada." Raditz continued.

"How many Saiyans are left, exactly?" Tarble asked timidly. So far Raditz was agreeable but he seemed like the person to cut you in half for interrupting him.

"As far as I know there's only a handful. The only pureblooded ones are Kakarot and Vegeta. They both sired two children each and one of Kakarot's had a child as well. That adds up to about seven." Raditz answered glaring at Tarble, "Now as I was saying…there was this whole debacle on the planet Namek. They defeated Frieza would you believe it, Vegeta's spawn later finished him off."

"Wow! They defeated Frieza?! They must have grown incredibly strong!" Tarble spouted. Those of planet Vegeta always hoped Frieza would fall, but none believed it could be done.

"Oh, you have no idea. After everything happened there, Vegeta stayed on Earth. He had a child with one of my brother's very close friends. Years passed and they faced many stronger opponents. Opponents I say could kill Frieza with a mere side-glance." Raditz continued. Tarble's eyes were opened wide and he nodded along enthusiasm, "By this point my brother considers Vegeta a friend and Vegeta…well he at least respects Kakarot's power. All of their children and their mates however; are very close." Raditz finished.

"I see. So, you believe that is why they sent you to me?" Tarble questioned.

"It was one that I concocted yes." Raditz nodded.

"Then what was the other one?"

"I'm supposed to be guiding you, not chatting your head off!" Raditz growled.

"I'm sure it's no big deal." Tarble replied. All throughout his life he never really had many people to talk to. Even if it was in death he was glad to finally get the chance.

"Hmph, fine. I guess I don't particularly have much better to do." Raditz sighed, "I guess I believed that in some way…we are similar." Tarble cocked his head to the side.

"How so do you mean?" Tarble asked. He couldn't possibly be talking about anything in the range of personality or appearance. They were very much different in those aspects.

"You were mocked and made fun of for your power, were you not?" Raditz asked. Tarble nodded sadly.

"Yes. Father sent me to a distant planet called Tech-Tech when I was younger. He believed my weak power and refusal to fight would get me killed and that it shamed the royal bloodline." He frowned and scrunched his eyebrows in thought, "Come to think of it, I'm kind of glad it wasn't my father that came to guide me."

"Hmph. While I never refused to fight, I was often mocked because of my insignificant power." Raditz looked down, disappointment in his eyes, "I was the son of a great warrior, Bardock, you may not have known him. I learned years after my death that he faced down Frieza to the very end, in the face of our planet's destruction."

"I remember mention of a Bardock. He was only a low-class warrior but father was worried because he was quickly approaching even his level." Tarble explained, which cause Raditz to smirk.

"Oh, trust me. My father surpassed yours down in Hell long ago. To get back to what I was saying though, we share a certain kinship in our childhood. We both grew up weak and made fun of. I left planet Vegeta plenty of times just to get away from it all. Neither of us really amounted to much concerning power in our lives. Hell, I never really amounted to anything at all."

"I see what you mean. In life, I never sought to become more powerful. I married a native of the planet I was sent to and lived out the rest of my days in peace." Tarble explained.

"Heh, you sure are an odd Saiyan. Though after all these years in Hell, regretting what I've done, that doesn't sound so bad. I'd give up any conquest for power if it meant I could have lived out my days with Kakarot and his family."

"Did you?" Tarble asked.

"What? Did I what?"

"Did you give up your conquest for power?" Raditz grinned at this.

"Give up my conquest for power? With an eternity to train myself in Hell? Of course not!" Laughter erupted from the tall warrior, "Tell me Tarble, do you know of the legend of the Super Saiyan?"

"Yes, I believe every Saiyan does. Wait, don't tell me…"

"While I've not been the first and most certainly not the most powerful, I've spent decades to show the others that I could rise above them and become more than they ever thought!" Raditz laughed and with a quick yell…he transformed. His hair, glowing golden, suspended itself in the air. His eyes showed determination having now become an icy blue.

"It's amazing…" Tarble muttered at a loss for words. Raditz powered down. His black hair flopped down on his back and the powerful glow in his eyes faded.

"I was glade to achieve something in death, even if I could not achieve it in life." Raditz admitted.

"Do you think I could accomplish something like that?" Tarble asked. Raditz looked down at him.

"If you had the conviction, the overwhelming will to grow stronger, you could. But you don't, you don't need to." Raditz told him. Tarble was about to reply but Raditz continued, "I transformed because I _needed_ to. I needed to show the other Saiyans and all the other pathetic evil in scum not to mess with me. They would have destroyed me down there and I don't know what would happen to me after that. You don't need that, Tarble. You have nothing to prove."

"I see. I think I understand what you're saying." Tarble nodded, "So I suppose we won't be going to the same place after this?" The Saiyan prince asked. Raditz shook his head.

"I am just a guide, after all. Once I'm done here, it's back to Hell I go." Raditz chuckled, "Though for a place called Hell, it's not too bad once you get used to it."

"Alright….so as my guide, can you tell me where I'll be going?" Tarble frowned. An unexpected sadness came to him concerning their parting.

"You kidding? I don't think you've ever thrown a punch in your life. You're one of those weird 'good' Saiyans like Kakarot and his squabble. You're going straight up to Heaven." Raditz informed him.

"Heaven, huh? I'd never really had any religious views in life. It comes as somewhat of a surprise that places like Heaven and Hell exist. I suppose there aren't any Saiyans in Heaven?" Tarble asked, slightly joking. Raditz chuckled.

"You'd be surprised. There's one that I know of. If you meet a woman named Gine up there tell her Raditz sends his regards."

"I'll be sure to do just that." The two Saiyans stood there in silence for few moments, "Hey, Raditz?"

"Hm?"

"I think – I think I see why they sent you to me."

"Heh, yeah I guess I can too."

"You know, Raditz, even though we'll be heading separate ways, I hope I'll be able to see you again." Raditz sat for a few minutes, his back turned, pondering.

"Yeah…me too." Raditz whispered, knowing Tarble's soul had already transcended into Heaven, "Me too."


End file.
